Eat your heart out Betty Crocker: Double Chocolate Raspberry Layer Cake

Finished product! I added chocolate chips around the top for fun.

Okay, it's been a while since my last post, but now that a slight (very slight) chill is in the air, and it feels a little more like fall, I've cranked the oven back up.   I wanted to make a decadent cake for my dad's birthday this weekend, and made a triple layer chocolate raspberry cake with chocolate ganache frosting!  It was delish! Now, I will say a scratch cake like this is a lot of work....I may try a boxed mix next time :)

Ingredients:

For cake layers:

• 3 ounces chocolate chips (semi -sweet)
• 1 1/2 cups hot brewed coffee
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch process)
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups well-shaken buttermilk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla

For ganache frosting:

• 1 pound  semisweet chocolate chips (note:  If you bought a 24 oz bag, you'll use 16 oz for the frosting and 3 oz for the cake....leaving you some extra chips - hey, I'd just eat them or throw them in with the cake or frosting, or garnish the cake later - how could that hurt?)
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter

For raspberry filling:

• 1 jar of raspberry preserves (I draw the line at making my own raspberry filling, but there are recipes out there if you want)

Directions:

 

Make cake layers:

Preheat oven to 300°F and grease three 8" or 9" pans

Line bottoms with rounds of wax paper and grease paper (generously with cooking spray)

Put 3oz of chocolate chips in a bowl combine with hot coffee. Let mixture stand, stirring occasionally, until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth.

Into a large bowl whisk or sift together sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In another large bowl with an electric mixer beat eggs until thickened slightly and lemon colored (about 3 minutes with a standing mixer or 5 minutes with a hand-held mixer).

Slowly add oil, buttermilk, vanilla, and melted chocolate mixture to eggs, beating until combined well.

Add sugar mixture and beat on medium speed until just combined well.

Divide batter between pans and bake in middle of oven until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool layers completely in pans on racks. Run a thin knife around edges of pans and invert layers onto racks. Carefully remove wax paper and cool layers completely. Cake layers may be made 1 day ahead and kept, wrapped well in plastic wrap, at room temperature.

Note: I made the cakes on a Friday, let cool completely and wrapped in plastic wrap. I tackled the frosting on Saturday.

Make frosting:

In a 1 1/2- to 2-quart saucepan bring cream, sugar, and corn syrup to a boil over moderately low heat, whisking until sugar is dissolved.

Remove pan from heat and add 1 lb of chocolate chips, whisking until chocolate is melted.

Cut butter into pieces and add to frosting, whisking until smooth.

Transfer frosting to a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally, until spreadable

I put in the fridge for a while to harden up (about 20 minutes to start)

Assemble:

• If the cake layers have a "dome" on them, then cut it off with a knife so the layers stack better. 
• Spread raspberry preserves (generously) between layers and on top
• Spread ganache filling over cake...then put in cake and extra frosting in fridge (my frosting was still a little "soft" at this point).
• Repeat about 2-3 times...you'll keep re frosting the cake/smoothing it with the additional frosting (if you have extra frosting, it's ok...i used it all though!) as it hardens and gets easier each time - put frosting and cake back in fridge etc and repeat

Here's the first attempt at frosting it.






Here's my final product

• Cake keeps, covered and chilled, 3 days. Bring cake to room temperature before serving.

Enjoy!

Everything is better on a stick: Tomato, Mozzarella, Basil



Looking for a fresh, fun, tasty option for a summer barbecue appetizer?  Here is a great idea I put together for BBQ I went to tonight. I was inspired by a recipe I saw on my Epicurious.com app, but I changed it a bit, so here is what I did.

Ingredients:

8 inch wooden skewers

1 ripe cantaloupe, (make cantaloupe melon balls using a melon baller)

1 container of grape tomatoes

1 package of basil

1/2 cup olive oil

2 containers (16 oz) of the small mozzarella balls in water (8 oz per container). Or you could buy a big ball of mozzarella and cut it up

About 6 slices of thinly sliced prosciutto

1 medium Shallot (peeled and quartered)

Salt and Pepper

Directions:

I made two different types of skewers.

• For the tomato and mozzarella skewers I put three grape tomatoes and two mozzarella balls on each skewer in alternating order: tomato, cheese, tomato, cheese, tomato. (I think it made about 12 skewers)
• For the cantaloupe, prosciutto and mozzarella skewers I put three cantaloupe balls, 2 mozzarella balls and 1 piece of prosciutto (cut in half so it makes two pieces per skewer) in alternating order: cantaloupe, prosciutto, mozzarella, cantaloupe, prosciutto, mozzarella, cantaloupe. (I think this made about 12 skewers)
• Then, I made a delicous and easy sauce to drizzle over all the skewers
• In a food processor or blender, put in basil leaves (I used the whole package from the prepacked basil section), and ~1/2 cup olive oil, 1 quartered medium shallot and a generous pinch of salt. Pulse it so it turns into a sauce and the pieces of basil are very small.
• I then drizzled the sauce over everything and put in the fridge to mellow and chill for about an hour before serving
• Before serving, sprinkle with salt and cracked pepper (yes, even on the fruit ones). Salt makes everything better.

These disappeared and both kinds were popular! Enjoy!



Nuevo Laredo Salmon Tacos Replicated

My favorite Mexican restaurant in Atlanta is Nuevo Laredo Cantina.  It is a hole in the wall, authentic Mexican restaurant. Everything is always so good there - their quesadillas, chicken mole, chips...but I always seem to go back to their fish tacos, which are awesome.  They are Tacos de Pescado on the menu and have salmon, spinach and cheese sauce in them.

Well, I was in the mood for said tacos on Sunday, and I decided to be a little crazy and attempt to replicate them.  Let me tell you, I think I  made a pretty darn close replica...they were awesome.

Here's what you do.  I'm not listing out the ingredient amounts exactly because it's a taco...you just put it all in there. If it's a little off, no big deal. 

Ingredients:

• Small Flour Tortillas (I like La Banderita Fajita size)
• Fresh Spinach (buy a bag of it, and then use about a handful for every taco you are making)
• Shredded Coleslaw/Cabbage Mix (buy a bag of it, then you will use a pinch or two for each taco)
• Salmon (not sure how much raw, but i would say you want 1.5-2 oz cooked per taco).  I'd say a a good size fillet for every 4 tacos.
• Store bought Mexican cheese dip (I used Queso-Melt brand) - buy one container and you'll use a spoon or so per taco
• Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder (or you can use real garlic, but I took the easy way out)

Instructions:

• Season salmon on both sides with salt and pepper
• Grill or roast until desired done-ness.I always think 20 mins on 400 degrees is a good place to start. Personally, I did mine in the grill pan.  Once cooked, break or cut into chunks.
• While the salmon is cooking, use a good amount of cooking spray or a little oil and saute your spinach.  I would use about a handful raw per taco you plan to make.  Add salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste to the spinach as it wilts over medium high heat.  Once wilted, remove from heat.
• Warm your tortillas in a pan for a minute or so on each side.  I just put them straight on top of a gas burner...warning (don't try this at home if you aren't paying attention) to give them a little char on each side
• NOW....you are ready to assemble.
• Take the warm tortilla and add a spoonful of the queso melt (note: the queso melt will be hard since you didn't put in the microwave to warm up...that is OK it will melt soon). Spread it on the warm tortillas.
• Then, add some of the spinach mixture to each taco. I would say cooked it's about 1/8-1/4 cup.
• Then, add the broken up chunks of salmon to the taco. I would allow for 1.5-2 oz of cooked salmon per taco
• Then, (not sure if Nuevo does this or not, but it was a good addition), add a little bit (maybe a couple pinches) of the cabbage/slaw raw mixture on top.

Enjoy your "at home" Nuevo Laredo experience.